I have been reluctant to make Baccala because dang it’s hard work. If you don’t know what Baccala is, other than a character in The Sopranos, it’s dried, massively salted, Codfish. This salad takes 3 days to make with most of that time devoted to reconstituting the dried fish and removing an ocean of salt.
Once you get the fish right it’s pretty much downhill. The sweetness of the orange balances nicely with the saltiness of the Cod. The fennel adds a crunchy texture and a hint of licorice.
You can make Baccala any time of the year, but it is often associated with the holiday season, particularly Christmas through New Years when eating fish is thought to bring good luck in the coming year.
Need This
About 1.5 pounds of Baccala (skinless and boneless)
2 ripe Navel Oranges – cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 fennel bulb – cut julienne style
1 small red onion – thin slices
Pitted Kalamata olives
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt
Ground black pepper
Do This (starting 3 days before serving)
Put the salted Baccala in a large stock pot and cover the fish with a generous amount of clean cold water.
If you have cats, put a lid on the pot.
Store the pot in a cool place (the fridge is fine) keeping the fish submerged for the next 3 days.
At least twice a day pour off the salty water, rinse the cod with clean cold water then resubmerge.
When ready to serve, pour the water off the cod and rinse one more time.
Slice the Baccala up into 3-inch pieces.
Add clean cold water to a large pot and put a rolling boil on it. Drop the cut-up Baccala into the boiling water. Reduce the heat slightly and boil for 10 minutes.
Dump the boiled fish into a colander and allow it to cool until it can be handled (do not rinse the fish).
When the fish has cooled it should flake easily when pulled apart with fingers.
Add the Baccala to a large serving bowl. Drizzle some olive oil over the fish and mix gently.
Add the cut oranges, fennel, red onion and Kalamata olives to the bowl and mix it all again.
Taste test and add salt and black pepper as desired.
Mix one more time then refrigerate for at least one hour.
When ready to serve, remove the Baccala salad from the fridge, drizzle a little more olive oil over it
to loosen it up, mix gently one more time and serve.
Serves 6.
My cost approx $ 21.00 total – about $ 3.50 per serving.